1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a treadmill exerciser. More particularly, the present invention relates to a treadmill exerciser involving an upwardly and rearwardly sloping treadmill having steps thereon and wherein the treadmill is put into motion by the weight of a person "walking" up the steps.
2. Prior Art
Treadmill exercisers are well known in the art. Drake U.S. Pat. No. 2,399,915 issued on May 7, 1946 discloses a treadmill exerciser wherein the treadmill portion is oriented in a substantially horizontal disposition. Harrison et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,497,215 shows a treadmill exerciser which is rearwardly and upwardly sloping and which, broadly, involves a plurality of movable steps which are moved downwardly and forwardly by the weight of the exerciser in an attempt to clibm up the steps. Parsons U.S. Pat. No. 3,592,466 issued on July 13, 1971 is similar to the aforementioned Harrison et al patent. None of the above references, however, disclose steps where the step portion and riser portion are connected at both ends by hinges which permit the steps to move or fold around the sprockets as the steps move from an upper inclined course to a lower inclined return course, and vice versa.